Our family vacationed at Beaches Turks & Caicos for three years in a row. We love it and plan to go every year that we can afford to. It's an expensive resort (the combined cost of our three trips was around $20,000). We had lots of questions and concerns before we booked our first stay. Hopefully, this review will answer the questions that you have and help you decide if Beaches is worth it for your family. Happy reading and safe travels, wherever you decide to go!

Pros

Service - The staff is what sets Beaches apart from other hotels and resorts. Nearly all the workers (and there are many!) are kind and take pride in their work. The included childcare services are excellent and the no tipping policy is the real deal. Amazing people work here.

Facilities - Beaches feels like a small city nestled in a Caribbean paradise. The architecture and landscaping are beautiful. Small-yet-meaningful improvements and additions to the property keep the resort feeling fresh, even after repeat visits.

Pools - The pools at Beaches TCI are awesome. Each one is beautifully designed and the water is kept clean. Every pool has its own unique vibe and there are options for kids, for swimming, for watersports, for relaxing and for partying.

Food and Drink - There are more than 20 bars and restaurants at Beaches TCI and they each have their own character, from fast food to sprawling buffets to fine dining. The food is better than you'd expect from an all-inclusive resort and many of the dishes are downright great (the ceviches, for example). There are seven varieties of wine available -- all good, but four of them are excellent! Premium spirits like Don Julio and Johnnie Walker Black Label are included in the open bar.

Cons

Slow Kitchen Service - You can score a good, quick meal at any of Beaches' buffets, but be prepared to wait (sometimes, to the point where you give up hope) if you prefer table service. Alas, the most exotic and beautifully plated dishes are at the table service restaurants. The servers will often ply you with cocktails and wine as you wait for the kitchen to prepare your dish. This is a fun way to pass the time, but it makes it easy to drink too much.

Noise Pollution - You'll hear lawnmowers and string trimmers during your stay. (That's the price of beautiful landscaping, I suppose.) Also, one of the best restaurants on the resort is near the main stage where shows are performed. Imagine having a romantic, candlelit dinner as Sesame Street characters host a sing-a-long outside the window. It's not a dealbreaker and you can juggle timing and seating accordingly, but it's a little funny at times.

Bag Drop - The day of your departure, you'll be asked to leave your luggage outside your door so that it can be taken to the departure lounge. Our bags have always arrived safely, but the wait can be uncomfortably long. During our last stay, we placed our bags outside our room at 8:00 a.m. as we were instructed to. They weren't collected until 9:15 a.m., which was only 15 minutes before the airport shuttle departed.

Showers - The water temperature and pressure can fluctuate in some rooms. It's a small annoyance that betrays a general feeling of luxury.

Our Verdict and Rating

4.5 out of 5 - Beaches Resort at Turks & Caicos feels like a magical escape from the real world. The property is as lovely as the people you'll meet, and if you enjoy food and drink, there is a lot of value to be had.

What's Available, but Not Included in the Price?

We’ve seen couples dining privately at Beaches, either in a gazebo or directly on the Beach. It seems romantic, but there are plenty of romantic escapes at the resort that don’t cost extra.

Strollers;

Laundry;

Spa treatments;

Hair braiding and temporary tattoos;

Bedtime tuck-in with Sesame Street character;

Prints (or digital images) from photo session;

DJ Academy;

Scuba diving courses;

Private candlelight dinners;

Premium wines;

Butler service;

Tours and transportation (other than airport transfers); and

Doctor consultations and medication.

Cost

Beaches is not cheap. A family of four should expect their vacation to cost more than $1,000 per day (including airfare). This can still work out to be cheaper than staying elsewhere on Turks and Caicos, however.

Childcare

Face painting is one of many ways that Beaches’ camp staff made our daughter feel special.

Beaches is truly a family-friendly resort. The inclusion of free childcare from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. is a huge draw for our family. We don't have any guilt or reservations about our daughter attending the the day camp on the resort because the staff and the activities are so kid-friendly.

Service

We love the people we've met at Beaches. The staff is another reason why our family has gone to Beaches three years in a row. Here are our thoughts about the service at Beaches.

Guests have full access to the resort, regardless of which village they stay in.

Rooms

Beaches has hundreds of rooms ranging from simple studios to kid-friendly luxury suites for large families. Our family has stayed in moderately priced rooms, and while our experience has been pretty good overall, it fell short of feeling like a luxury hotel. Here are the good (and bad) things about the rooms we've stayed in.

Restaurants

The taco station at Arizonas is where dreams come true. If you dream of meat, that is.

There are 21 restaurants at Beaches TCI (plus two food trucks) and only one restaurant requires reservations, so you needn't worry about planning meals. Our family loves having this freedom. The quality and variety of the restaurants are a big reason why we return to Beaches each year. The more adventurous you are about food, the more value you’ll get from Beaches.

Open Bar

Alcohol is included at Beaches and the selection of beer, wine and spirits is awesome. Options range from a locally-brewed beer to a sparkling blanc de blancs wine from France to top-shelf Don Julio tequila. They don't skimp.

No Tipping Policy

The no-tipping policy at Beaches is the real deal. You can spend your entire time at the resort with nothing in your pocket other than a room key. The staff wears buttons that say "No Tips, Please."

There are two exceptions to this rule. First, you might want to tip the drivers who pick you up at the airport and take you back for your departure (many of these drivers do not work for Beaches). Secondly, the no-tipping policy does not apply to butlers and spa workers (these services cost extra).

Weddings

It’s easy to see why Beaches hosts many destination weddings. The property is romantic and beautiful.

We've seen plenty of weddings at Beaches, but we've never attended one. You would think that weddings would be an annoyance for other guests, but our experience has been the opposite. The weddings we've seen were like a form of entertainment. We saw paper lanterns floating over Grace Bay one night. It was beautiful! During our last stay in the Key West Village, a reception was held on the main lawn and all the guests were dressed in white. It's fun to watch people and live vicariously.

Weddings are free at Beaches Turks and Caicos (for stays that are three nights or longer). The more nights that a couple stays and the more guests that attend the wedding, the more perks are included. Check out the Beaches website for details about wedding services.

Pools

There are eight pools (and plenty of hot tubs) at Beaches resort. The pools are kept immaculately clean and there are good options for kids, plus options for swimming, relaxing and sports. Check out our list of the best pools at Beaches Turks and Caicos resort.

Waterpark

Beaches’ Pirate’s Island Waterpark packs a lot of fun into a relatively small footprint. It’s a treat to go on a waterslide without waiting in a long line, and if there are a few clouds in the sky, you may find that you have an entire waterpark to yourself. Sweet!

Activities and Entertainment

Red Lane Spa, Gym

Most of the spa services at Beaches resort are not included in the price, however, the hot and cold baths are open to the public. Red Lane Spa products like shampoo, conditioner and lotion are stocked daily in every room.

Beaches' gym has a yoga room, punching bags, free weights and various strength and cardiovascular machines. Gym access is included in the price.

Dress Code

Beaches is a casual resort overall, but it’s fun to get dressed up for the adults-only restaurants.

Shirts and footwear are required at restaurants during the day. The restaurants don't allow wet bathing suits and they ask that women cover their swimwear while dining. The same rules mostly apply for dinner, however, the adults-only restaurants (the fanciest ones on the resort) prohibit shorts, t-shirts, sleeveless shirts and sneakers at dinner time.

You'll spot some well dressed ladies in evening wear, but most men get by with jeans, a polo shirt and dress sandals. Men should resist the urge to bring dark-colored club clothes or leather shoes. Turks and Caicos is a tropical place, so light colors and light fabrics are appropriate, even for evening attire. For more packing ideas, check out our guide to what to bring to Beaches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns Beaches?

Beaches is a line of all-inclusive family resorts owned by Sandals Resorts International, a Jamaican company founded by Gordon Stewart. The Sandals brand is known for its all-inclusive resorts for couples (i.e. adults-only).

Is Beaches gay-friendly?

Beaches tagline is "Resorts for Everyone," and we have no reason to believe otherwise.

This is an independent blog published by our family. Everything on this website (including the photos) reflects our travel experiences, but your experiences and opinions might be very different than ours. Nothing on this site should be considered personal advice. By using this site, you accept all the risks and responsibilities of your own travel. This website does not collect any personal information.